Leaving at around 9.15, a short stroll to Chapel Porth enables the rejoining of The South West Coast Path just past the beacon at St. Agnes. Chapel Porth is small, with a little beach, but quiet and really rather nice.
You can clearly see the coast path etched on the hillside at Chapel Porth. Most of the path is pretty easy to walk on, navigation is simple as one only has to keep going in the same direction - either East or West! There are a few coves, bays, and other points when you must climb down a little, then back up again to get back up on the cliffs and coastal path, but these merely add to the walk, and often give a good point to stop for a little break.
Plodding on then, from Chapel Porth to Porthtowan,
which boasts a rather lovely beach, just stunning during this most beautiful of summers in Britain.
The path picks up again above Porthtowan, and stays pretty flat - bar a couple of rugged coves to negotiate - all the way to Portreath. The cliffs along this stretch are mighty, rugged lumps, though quite liable to subsidence. In a few places the path is quite properly directed away from the cliff edge, as getting too near the edge can be dangerous.
Portreath is reached comfortably in a couple of hours, and is lovely.
This really is a stunning stretch of coastline, with much for those who love the sea and all it can offer in the way of beautiful sandy beaches, suirfing and sailing, and also some great cliff top walks for others.
Pressing on in the afternoon sunshine, St. Ives Bay becomes visible in the distance, and here we turned inland for the road route to Hayle.
St Ives is on the far side of the bay, with Carbis Bay stretching a good two miles of golden sandy beach. At this point we had a couple of miles left to do on the road, before reaching the convenient but rather unspectacular stop for tonight. No picture, it's a premier inn on the old A30!
Tommorrow is the final 18 miles to Lands End....
Alec Hawkes 12.07.13
on the plod for 4 fine charities.
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